Masset hurt, three more cuts

* UPDATED info — RHP Nick Masset is out again because of a strained right shoulder. He had a MRI on it and has been shut down for the time being.

“We’re doing what we can to get it better,” Masset said. “There’s no timetable right now. My mission is to get healthy and put myself in the right situation to be healthy and ready to pitch. I’m getting some treatment. I will be throwing soon.”

Masset had two scoreless appearances since returning from a sore shoulder on March 19. He has not pitched since March 22.

“They were going well,” Masset said. “Then it flared back up. After I pitched the last time, it was coming out of my hand good. I felt good out there and was competing, throwing strikes. But my shoulder was barking a little bit. I don’t think it’s anything to panic about. It’s something we’re working on and hopefully it’s a quick fix.”

*There were three more cuts today. Catchers Dioner Navarro and Corky Miller and outfielder Daryl Jones were re-assigned to the Minor League camp. There are 30 players left in camp.

“[Navarro] and Corky both will be at Triple-A splitting time,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

*Asked about Miller and his value to the organization, Baker had high praise.

“He’s very valuable. He has a great attitude,” Baker said. “I told him he’d be a great manager someday or a good pitching coach. He’s not a coach yet. He’s kind of like a player-coach now. Sometimes it’s difficult at the Triple-A level because you’re getting guys that are waiting and hoping to get back to the big leagues. Corky is always on call, always the same, consistent in his personality. He’s a valuable asset to the team he’s on and the organization as a whole.”

*There’s no new update as of yet on RHP Mat Latos, who left yesterday’s game with a strained left calf.

“It’s day-to-day,” Baker said. “We saw him buckle a couple of times out there. Navarro asked him if he was OK and he said he wanted to keep pitching. I said no, that’s enough. It’s always a little frightening when you get this close to the end of spring training and you’re trying to get out of here healthy and unscathed and start the season. Especially with our pitching situation already, that’s why we took him out immediately.”

*As a former Dodger, Baker was pleased to hear that Magic Johnson’s ownership group brought the team late last night.

“I’m glad for Magic, who I knew from when I was playing there,” Baker said. “I’m glad for the organization that it’s getting some stability. I knew Stan from when I was with the Braves.

So what is it with all these brittle arms? Is it just me or do more and more contemporary pitchers seem to have china-doll shoulders and elbows? With all the medical care and conditioning available to them, why do they seem to break down at what seems to be an alarming rate? My old geezer rant of the day, I suppose.

Too many muscles? Too big tendons? When I played at that age I didn’t blow anything out or pull anything and I wasn’t as big as them.

Do you think with Masset iffy the Reds should try to get Tomko to be a reliever? If it came to it, you could move LeCure to Ondruseks role, and Ondrusek to Masset’s role, and Tomko to Lecure’s role. You follow? Good. Now let’s hope it doesn’t happen.

Curt touches on the main problem, I think, below…too much working out regimentation. Pitchers’ arms need to be tough, of course, while remaining simultaneously supple and somewhat underdeveloped. I think, in this regard, of Jim Palmer from a couple of generations back and Greg Maddox of the generation now passing by.

Josh Judy was outrighted to Louisville, not optioned. That means he was dropped from the 40-man.

FWIW, he was optioned on March 18, then outrighted on the 26th. Dunno if the Reds were trying to sneak him through waivers late in spring training when other teams have their rosters set, or if they changed their minds about his roster spot.

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